


The Last Days Of Rome

by tielan



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Australian Shatterdome, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-03
Updated: 2014-03-03
Packaged: 2018-01-14 11:51:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1265488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tielan/pseuds/tielan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Herc says goodbye at the end of an era.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Last Days Of Rome

**Author's Note:**

> Going through my kinkmeme prompts file, cleaning up the bits and pieces, and posting what's readable. Sorry for the small ficlets!
> 
> This one is: "[Who didn't come to Hong Kong?](http://pacificrimkink.livejournal.com/2747.html?thread=4316859#t4316859)" It's an off-cut from 'Tales Of The Australian Shatterdome' (which is still being written) that doesn't quite fit in that story as I want it to play out.

Herc looks around at the empty shell of Sydney’s Shatterdome, its huge, domed space relatively cool as the morning temperature soars outside. The afternoon is going to be a killer, and news is that regional temps are going to hit forty-five or more.

Not that climate change is going to matter all that much if they can’t stop the _kaiju_.

Striker’s all hooked up and ready to lift. Her crews – tech, engineering, networks, Drift – are at the Palm Beach airfield, waiting for the flight out to Hong Kong.

Out in the glittering water of the harbour heads, the flat grey length of the Wall sucks at the summer’s light. Chuck calls it a fugly beast of an architectural monstrosity, and the kid has it pretty right on to Herc’s thinking.

Footsteps sound at the Shatterdome entryway, the pace steady, even in its unevenness - familiar. Herc doesn’t look around as Des Appin comes alongside and stares up at the big, stripped space, hands tucked in his pockets, scuffing his boots on the concrete like a kid trying out new pavement. Not that the man’s anything close to shy - you don’t make LOCCENT Chief in a Shatterdome without being able to give as good as you got back at anyone from PPDC Marshals to ego-ridden Jaeger pilots.

“News up from the shore. Your ride’s incoming.”

“I’m gonna miss this.”

“Hey, least you’re still piloting.”

“Yeah, but…” Herc glances at the sun-weathered profile of his friend of ten years and counting. “Won’t be the same, even with Stacker in charge.”

Des snorts. “Yeah, well, you’ve gotten soft, Herc. Too much sun and Anneka letting you run the reins.”

“Says the man who renamed GLaDOS ‘Gladys’ and taught her to sing ‘ _Sadie, the AI Lady_ ,’” Herc snorts.

“Helen made me do it.”

“You can’t blame everything on your wife.”

“Why not? Most men do.” Des exhales. “We’ll see the twins settled with my folks in the New Year. Should be in Hong Kong by the 15th at earliest. Sorry about that, mate.”

“Tendo’s in charge,” Herc reminds him. “I’ll make sure he keeps the shittiest jobs for you.”

“You’re all heart, Hansen.”

“Hey, I give it my best.” Herc holds out a hand to his friend. “Merry Christmas, Des.”

The handshake turns into a hug-and-back-slap. Des was always easier with affection than Herc. “Happy New Year, mate.”


End file.
